Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Only 17 lawyers in Guyana authorized to charge fees
…all others in breach of tax law, cannot legally collect money for service – GRA
There are currently only 17 lawyers, nine medical doctors, 19 accountants, two dentists and three Land Surveyors, who are in compliance with the Tax Act of Guyana and as such no other persons are currently allowed to collect fees for services rendered as a professional in those categories. 
All of the others have been deemed in breach of the Tax Act of Guyana and are without a valid Professional Practice Certificate.
The notice was issued by the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) which is the legal body responsibility for Guyana’s tax administration and has over time threatened to take legal actions against professionals, including lawyers and doctors, who operate without their practice certificates.
According to GRA, in Category A- Accountants, Auditors, Legal Practitioners, Medical Practitioners, Architects, Dentists and Optometrists must pay $250,000 for the practice certificate; Category B- Engineers and Veterinary Surgeon – $150,000; Category C- Physiotherapists, Pharmacists and Surveyors – a sum of $75,000 is required.
Under the Tax Act, the Tax Practice Certificate is valid for one calendar year and is renewable annually.
Guyana has a battery of lawyers who ply their trade on a daily basis but according to the most recent listing, only the 17 have been in compliance with the Tax Act and as such have been issued with their certificates.
Among the names on the list of Attorneys-at-Law with their certificates to practice were Members of Parliament Bibi Shadick and Alliance For Change Leader (AFC), Khemraj Ramjattan.
Some of the other names appearing on the list include Leslie Sobers, Neil Persram, Emily Dodson, Beverly Bishop-Cheddie, Gary Ramlochan and Chandrawattie Persaud among others.
Glaringly absent were the more high profile lawyers such as Bar Association President, Ronald Burch-Smith, Nigel Hughes, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, Hukumchand, Bernard De Santos, Moses Nagamootoo, Roger Yearwood, Glen Hanoman and Peter Hugh among others.
None of the practising legal minds in the main political opposition are in compliance with the tax Act also. Shadow Legal Affairs Minister, Basil Williams, Joseph Harmon, Debbie Backer and James Bond are all deemed to be non-compliant.
When the Amendment to the Tax Act, requiring the need for a Professional Practice Certificate was introduced to the National Assembly in 2009, there was vociferous protest from particularly the legal fraternity.
Basil Williams had accused the administration of introducing the Bill “surreptitiously” to Parliament without any consultations with lawyers, although a court case was filed in 2003 over the same issue. That matter was still pending at the time.
According to the specific amendment, which the lawyer said was “hidden away” in the last part of the Bill, “an attorney-at-law shall not practise as an attorney-at-law unless he has been issued a practice certificate by the Commissioner General (Guyana Revenue Authority) in accordance with the provisions of Section 39 of the Tax Act.”
This was done without any consultations with the (Guyana) Bar Association and the Guyana Women’s Lawyer Association, Williams said.
“In other words, lawyers have not had an opportunity to consult as a body on the contents of this Bill.”
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So what the government is saying is that it’s best not to pay these guys for service received because they where authorize to practice anyways
This is just one example of the total disregard for the law and orderliness in Guyana. The man in the street generally gets peppered for lawlessness but this article, IF TRUE, demonstrates the real source of the problem.
If the GRA says professionals cannot ply their trade without a legally issued GRA license then so be the case, but if the GRA wants to be taken seriously, it should go after the many who are building luxury houses and high rises to determine the source of their incomes. If not, then many will conclude that the PPP is looking to use the GRA to control the professional class, which can produce people capable of undermining the PPPs hold on power.
And the fact that Attorney-General Anil Nandlall is on the non-paying list may explain, in part, why he is not liked by the Jagdeo cabal, because he is being paid by the government to represent the government in court. Even Bernard DeSantos, who is representing Jagdeo in the stupid libel case, should not be doing that. Overall, the criminally corrupt regime continues its bare-faced march to dictatorship!
Glaringly absent were the more high profile lawyers such as Bar Association President, Ronald Burch-Smith, Nigel Hughes, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall
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hahahaha
jokey Guyana bai
What a shame and disgrace on all fronts. Guyana has sunk to the pits of lawlessness. This would never have occurred under the Burnham PNC regime. There can be no law and order when they advocates, the protectors are themselves lawbreakers.
Recently the medical board also reported that a number of doctors are practicing without licence to practice.
A quick research would show that many of these law breakers are not paying NIS also.
Shame , shame shame on Annand Nanddlal … Attorney General. He should be dismissed
There is still a protest at what is a $250,000 fee, up from $10,000, just to practise. This is in addition to whatever membership fees one has to pay to their own professional body and in some cases local professional bodies responsible for monitoring the profession. It’s about time this position is reviewed and the fee brought down to $25,000 or given as a credit against taxes payable.
Repeal it!!!
GRA who is responsible for collecting the people’s money from all Local and Foreign business men and entities is opperating like every other government department, they go after the lesser perpetrators.
Approximately 90% of the large georgetown business men and entities has not paid there taxes for the last 12 years because they are told by the government not to pay it.
Opposition parliamentarians should propose an independent audit of GRA books to verify that all Local and Foreign business and business men has paid their taxes, and proof that these funds were deposited in the Consolidated Account and that these Local and Foreign Business men and businesses show proof of certification.
There is no regulated way of collecting and spending the People’s money in Guyana, the Finance Minister and his friends act as though they are running a “SALT GOODS SHOP” they do as they please without accountability.
we will find the above statement to be untrue